J S Wright plumbing and heating apprentice Shaun Donaldson
The company, which has offices in Birmingham and London, beat off competition from scores of other nominations to be named as Construction Services Employer of the Year at the finals of the 2020 BAME Apprenticeship Awards.
The awards ceremony, presented on YouTube and Facebook after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of an in-person event, celebrated the outstanding work and achievement of black, Asian and minority ethnic apprentices and the support provided by employers and learning providers.
J S Wright was also celebrated as a finalist in the Small Medium Employer of the Year category at the Awards, while one of its plumbing and heating apprentices Shaun Donaldson was applauded for reaching the shortlist for the Construction Services Apprentice of the Year Award.
The awards were hosted by TV and radio presenter Remel London and actor and comedian Tez Ilyas, and the winner of the Construction Services Employer of the Year Award was announced by Surju Kanani of Kaplan Financial.
Addressing hundreds of viewers live on screen, Remel London said that J S Wright “prides itself on the training of its staff, giving them the opportunity to develop their entire career with the help of their innovative development programmes and the support of senior staff, many of whom have been with the organisation since they were apprentices themselves”.
Paul Millington, J S Wright associate director and leader of the J S Wright Academy, said: “This is a brilliant achievement and a tribute to the success of our Academy and training programmes and the high quality of our apprentices.
“Special congratulations go to Shaun Donaldson, an outstanding apprentice who fully represents our core values of quality, responsibility, collaboration and integrity. This has enabled him to become an inspirational role model.”
Phil Leech, managing director of J S Wright, commented: “As a company, we have always been fully committed to nurturing an inclusive and diverse workforce in which everyone is valued and given the opportunity to progress.”